So what's a little ice ... John Fulton, of Pelham, isn't going to wait around for the weather to warm up: he's making plans to windsurf from Point Abino to Angola, N.Y./Staff photo J.T. Lewis

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At this the time of the year most people would only dream about summer sports like wind surfing, but a Pelham man isn't going to wait for warm weather.

Long before the beaches of Lake Erie are crowded with sun-bathers, John Fulton is planning to wind surf across the frigid water from Point Abino to Angola, N.Y.

And after he's tackled Lake Erie, he plans to cross Lake Ontario from Toronto to Rochester, and then Lake Huron, Michigan and Superior.

The Great Lakes have nasty reputations for severe weather, but the 42-year-old father of two isn't worried.

"With wind surfing, I'm out on 30-foot waves at Point Abino ? where's the danger?" he asked.

Still, Fulton is taking every precaution to make certain his plans don't end in tragedy.

"The key for me is this has to be 100-per-cent foolproof," he said in an interview.

"I cannot in any way have even a per centage of a chance of having to be rescued by the Coast Guard... I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to risk anyone else's life."

A boat will follow him along and pull him out of the icy water if he gets into trouble. He'll also utilize new technology like global positioning satellites to make sure he's on course.

Fulton originally planned to sail across the Lake Erie in mid-February, but since it has frozen over for the first time in several years, he'll drop his board in the water as soon as possible.

"El Nino isn't holding out here," he complained.

"We're in the planning stages right now. If we can't do it in the winter then we'll wait for the spring. It'll still be a cold-water adventure, but it'll be a spring event."

If he runs out of patience waiting for the water to thaw, he's toying with the idea of ice-surfing across the lake. In that case, he'll use a hover craft as back up instead of a boat, he said.

Since 1985 when Fulton became the first person to wind surf across Lake Erie ? raising $5,500 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in the process ? he's made the same trip several times.

His fastest time was about 30 minutes, but that was on a windy summer day when he didn't have freezing fingers or wandering icebergs to worry about.

The fitness club owner is challenging the Great Lakes for more reasons than just the thrill.

He plans to take advantage of the media attention the stunts attract to raise awareness about the challenges the children of today will face as they grow into a world of economic and environmental uncertainty.

"What impact can one person have?"Fulton asked. "Well you know what, it's got to start somewhere, right?"

He said it's easy to be apathetic about the problems the next generation will face, but if you don't take some action, the problems will only get worse.

"It's like a trap."

Fulton hired writer and documentary film maker James Demers and started a new production company called Twelve Mile Creek Films to capture the stunts on film. Cameras will be mounted on his board to capture every gruelling moment in the first of many projects the start-up company is planning.

He hopes to have conquered all five Great Lakes by the end of May, and then he plans to take the show on the road in a tour he's calling Around the World in 80 Waves.

Fulton plans to travel to 80 different countries and windsurf across a lake in each.

"It's something I've been thinking about for years, but now it's feasible," he said.

On a globe in Fulton's office, a line drawn in faded black marker charts a course through the world's oceans he one day hoped to travel. It's been a longtime dream of his to wind surf around the world, but for now touring 80 countries will have to do.

"He's going to make friends in every country by windsurfing their favourite lake," Demers said.

Fulton's current plans evolved out of a tradition he started 18 years ago in December when he first dressed in a familiar red suit and became Surfin' Santa. It was a way to promote his favourite sport as well as his fitness club. After a few years, he continued doing it for other causes.

Surfin' Santa's most recent excursion on the river was done to promote RAFT, a St. Catharines organization that helps homeless teenagers.

"A homeless teenager becomes a homeless adult and it's frightening, but it's the truth," Demers said.

The stunt drew worldwide media attention, particularly after he was brought in for questioning by US immigration authorities. He was interviewed live on CNN as well as on radio stations across North America and as far away Australia. Newspapers all over the world also published the story.

Considering the severity of environmental problems around the world, Fulton said issues like homelessness and the environment are related.

"If the writing on the wall has any merit, homelessness is going to be a big, big issue because we're dealing with what could be major environmental catastrophes," he said.

Fulton is currently looking for corporate sponsorship to make his plans possible. A few companies he's contacted have already shown interest.

More information is available on his web site, www.johnfulton.com.